TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 106:34–48. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here, I. The narrative concludes with an account of Israel's conduct in Canaan, which was of a piece with that in the wilderness, and God's dealings with them, wherein, as all along, both justice and mercy appeared.
1.They were very provoking to God. The miracles and mercies which settled them in Canaan made no more deep and durable impressions upon them than those which fetched them out of Egypt; for by the time they were just settled in Canaan they corrupted themselves, and forsook God. Observe,
(1.)The steps of their apostasy.
[1.]They spared the nations which God had doomed to destruction (Psa 106:34); when they had got the good land God had promised them they had no zeal against the wicked inhabitants whom the Lord commanded them to extirpate, pretending pity; but so merciful is God that no man needs to be in any case more compassionate than he.
[2.]When they spared them they promised themselves that, notwithstanding this, they would not join in any dangerous affinity with them. But the way of sin is down-hill; omissions make way for commissions; when they neglect to destroy the heathen the next news we hear is, They were mingled among the heathen, made leagues with them and contracted an intimacy with them, so that they learned their works, Psa 106:35. That which is rotten will sooner corrupt that which is sound than be cured or made sound by it.
[3.]When they mingled with them, and learned some of their works that seemed innocent diversions and entertainments, yet they thought they would never join with them in their worship; but by degrees they learned that too (Psa 106:36): They served their idols in the same manner, and with the same rites, that they served them; and they became a snare to them. That sin drew on many more, and brought the judgments of God upon them, which they themselves could not but be sensible of and yet knew not how to recover themselves.
[4.]When they joined with them in some of their idolatrous services, which they thought had least harm in them, they little thought that ever they should be guilty of that barbarous and inhuman piece of idolatry the sacrificing of their living children to their dead gods; but they came to that at last (Psa 106:37, Psa 106:38), in which Satan triumphed over his worshippers, and regaled himself in blood and slaughter: They sacrificed their sons and daughters, pieces of themselves, to devils, and added murder, the most unnatural murder, to their idolatry; one cannot think of it without horror. They shed innocent blood, the most innocent, for it was infant-blood, nay, it was the blood of their sons and their daughters. See the power of the spirit that works in the children of disobedience, and see his malice. The beginning of idolatry and superstition, like that of strife, is as the letting forth of water, and there is no villany which those that venture upon it can be sure they shall stop short of, for God justly gives them up to a reprobate mind, Rom 1:28.
(2.)Their sin was, in part, their own punishment; for by it,
[1.]They wronged their country: The land was polluted with blood, Psa 106:38. That pleasant land, that holy land, was rendered uncomfortable to themselves, and unfit to receive those kind tokens of God's favour and presence in it which were designed to be its honour.
[2.]They wronged their consciences (Psa 106:39): They went a whoring with their own inventions, and so debauched their own minds, and were defiled with their own works, and rendered odious in the eyes of the holy God, and perhaps of their own consciences.
2.God brought his judgments upon them; and what else could be expected? For his name is Jealous, and he is a jealous God.
(1.)He fell out with them for it, Psa 106:40. He was angry with them: The wrath of God, that consuming fire, was kindled against his people; for from them he took it as more insulting and ungrateful than from the heathen that never knew him. Nay, he was sick of them: He abhorred his own inheritance, which once he had taken pleasure in; yet the change was not in him, but in them. This is the worst thing in sin, that it makes us loathsome to God; and the nearer any are to God in profession the more loathsome are they if they rebel against him, like a dunghill at our door.
(2.)Their enemies then fell upon them, and, their defence having departed, made an easy prey of them (Psa 106:41, Psa 106:42): He gave them into the hands of the heathen. Observe here how the punishment answered to the sin: They mingled with the heathen and learned their works; from them they willingly took the infection of sin, and therefore God justly made use of them as the instruments of their correction. Sinners often see themselves ruined by those by whom they have suffered themselves to be debauched. Satan, who is a tempter, will be a tormentor. The heathen hated them. Apostates lose all the love on God's side, and get none on Satan's; and when those that hated them ruled over them, and they were brought into subjection under them, no marvel that they oppressed them and ruled them with rigour; and thus God made them know the difference between his service and the service of the kings of the countries, Ch2 12:8.
(3.)When God granted them some relief, yet they went on in their sins, and their troubles also were continued, Psa 106:43. This refers to the days of the Judges, when God often raised up deliverers and wrought deliverances for them, and yet they relapsed to idolatry and provoked God with their counsel, their idolatrous inventions, to deliver them up to some other oppressor, so that at last they were brought very low for their iniquity. Those that by sin disparage themselves, and will not by repentance humble themselves, are justly debased, and humbled, and brought low, by the judgments of God.
(4.)At length they cried unto God, and God returned in favour to them, Psa 106:44-46. They were chastened for their sins, but not destroyed, cast down, but not cast off. God appeared for them,
[1.]As a God of mercy, who looked upon their grievances, regarded their affliction, beheld when distress was upon them (so some), who looked over their complaints, for he heard their cry with tender compassion (Exo 3:7) and overlooked their provocations; for though he had said, and had reason to say it, that he would destroy them, yet he repented, according to the multitude of his mercies, and reversed the sentence. Though he is not a man that he should repent, so as to change his mind, yet he is a gracious God, who pities us, and changes his way.
[2.]As a God of truth, who remembered for them his covenant, and made good every word that he had spoken; and therefore, bad as they were, he would not break with them, because he would not break his own promise.
[3.]As a God of power, who has all hearts in his hand, and turns them which way soever he pleases. He made them to be pitied even of those that carried them captives, and hated them, and ruled them with rigour. He not only restrained the remainder of their enemies' wrath, that it should not utterly consume them, but he infused compassion even into their stony hearts, and made them relent, which was more than any art of man could have done with the utmost force of rhetoric. Note, God can change lions into lambs, and, when a man's ways please the Lord, will make even his enemies to pity him and be at peace with him. When God pities men shall. Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia - A God at peace with us makes every thing at peace.
II.The psalm concludes with prayer and praise.
1.Prayer for the completing of his people's deliverance. Even when the Lord brought back the captivity of his people still there was occasion to pray, Lord, turn again our captivity (Psa 126:1, Psa 126:4); so here (Psa 106:47), Save us, O Lord our God! and gather us from among the heathen. We may suppose that many who were forced into foreign countries, in the times of the Judges (as Naomi was, Rut 1:1), had not returned in the beginning of David's reign, Saul's time being discouraging, and therefore it was seasonable to pray, Lord, gather the dispersed Israelites from among the heathen, to give thanks to thy holy name, not only that they may have cause to give thanks and hearts to give thanks, that they may have opportunity to do it in the courts of the Lord's house, from which they were now banished, and so may triumph in thy praise, over those that had in scorn challenged them to sing the Lord's song in a strange land.
2.Praise for the beginning and progress of it (Psa 106:48): Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting. He is a blessed God from eternity, and will be so to eternity, and so let him be praised by all his worshippers. Let the priests say this, and then let all the people say, Amen, Hallelujah, in token of their cheerful concurrence in all these prayers, praises, and confessions. According to this rubric, or directory, we find that when this psalm (or at least the closing verses of it) was sung all the people said Amen, and praised the Lord by saying, Hallelujah. By these two comprehensive words it is very proper, in religious assemblies, to testify their joining with their ministers in the prayers and praises which, as their mouth, they offer up to God, according to his will, saying Amen to the prayers and Hallelujah to the praises.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Deliver us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations (other copies read, "from the heathen"); that we may give thanks unto Your holy Name, and make our boast of Your praise [Psalm 106:47]. Then he has briefly added this very praise, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and world without end" [Psalm 106:48]: by which we understand from everlasting to everlasting; because He shall be praised without end by those of whom it is said, "Blessed are they that dwell in Your house: they will be always praising You." This is the perfection of the Body of Christ on the third day, when the devils had been cast out, and cures perfected, even unto the immortality of the body itself, the everlasting reign of those who perfectly praise Him, because they perfectly love Him; and perfectly love Him, because they behold Him face to face. For then shall be completed the prayer at the commencement of this Psalm: "Remember us, O Lord, according to the favour that You bear unto Your people," etc. For from the Gentiles He does not gather only the lost sheep of the house of Israel, [Matthew 15:24] but also those which do not belong to that fold; so that there is one flock, as is said, and one Shepherd. But when the Jews suppose that that prophecy belongs to their visible kingdom, because they know not how to rejoice in the hope of good things unseen, they are about to rush into the snares of him, of whom the Lord says, "I have come in My Father's Name, and you receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive." [John 5:24] Of whom the Apostle Paul says: "that Man of Sin shall be revealed, the son of perdition," etc. And a little after he says, "Then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming," etc. [2 Thessalonians 2:3-11] ...Through that Apostate, through him who exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, it seems to me, that the carnal people of Israel will suppose that prophecy to be fulfilled, where it is said, "Deliver us, O Lord, and gather us from among the heathen;" that under His guidance, before the eyes of their visible enemies, who had visibly taken them captive, they are to have visible glory. Thus they will believe a lie, because they have not received the love of truth, that they might love not carnal, but spiritual blessings....For Christ had other sheep that were not of this fold: [John 10:16] but the devil and his angels had taken captive all those sheep, both among the Israelites and the Gentiles. The power, therefore, of the devil having been cast out of them, in the sight of the evil spirits who had taken them captive, their cry in this prophecy is, that they may be saved and perfected for evermore: "Deliver us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen." Not, as the Jews imagine it, fulfilled through Antichrist, but through our Lord Christ coming in the name of His Father, "Day from day, His salvation;" of whom it is here said, "O visit us in Your salvation! And let all the people say," the predestined people of the circumcision and of the uncircumcision, a holy race, an adopted people, "So be it! So be it!"
You see, while Jesus did not go to the nations himself, he sent the disciples. That was the fulfillment of what the prophet said, “A people I never knew has served me.” Notice how profound, how clear, how explicit a prophecy this is: “A people I never knew”—that means one I had not presented myself to in person—“has served me.” How? It goes on, “The moment it heard, it obeyed me”; that is, it was not by seeing but by hearing that they came to believe. And it was to call and gather together the nations that the apostle Paul was sent, so fulfilling what we have just been singing, “Gather us from the nations, that we may confess to your name and glory in your praise.” That man Tiny, made into the Greatest, not by his own efforts but by the one he used to persecute, was sent to the nations, a sheep stealer turned shepherd, a wolf turned sheep. That least of the apostles was sent to the nations and labored much among the Gentiles, and it was by means of him that the Gentiles came to believe. His letters are the proof of this.
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Summary
Psalms 106:47 is a fervent and climactic prayer for divine deliverance and restoration, serving as a pivotal plea within a psalm that meticulously chronicles Israel's persistent rebellion against God and His enduring faithfulness. It encapsulates the profound yearning of a people for God's intervention to rescue them from dispersion among the nations and enable them to fulfill their ultimate purpose: the worship and glorification of His holy name. This verse is both a humble confession of profound need and an unwavering expression of hope, firmly rooted in God's unchanging covenant character and His redemptive power.
Context
Literary Context
Psalms 106 stands as a penitential psalm, concluding Book Four of the Psalter (Psalms 90-106). It functions as a comprehensive historical review, meticulously recounting Israel's chronic unfaithfulness from the Exodus through the wilderness wanderings, the conquest, the period of the judges, and ultimately their exile. The psalm is a poignant litany of Israel's idolatry, murmuring, and ingratitude, yet it consistently highlights God's patient mercy and unwavering covenant loyalty despite their provocations. Verse 47, therefore, functions as a concluding cry for help, a turning point from the historical confession of sin to a future-oriented petition for restoration. It echoes the psalmist's earlier appeals for God's intervention, such as in Psalms 106:4, and sets the immediate stage for the concluding doxology in Psalms 106:48.
Historical & Cultural Context
The psalm likely reflects a post-exilic context, or at least a period when the people of Israel were widely dispersed among foreign nations, referred to as "the heathen" or goyim. The Babylonian exile (c. 586 BCE) represents the most significant period of dispersion, fulfilling the severe warnings of the Mosaic covenant, as articulated in passages like Deuteronomy 28:64. Even after the initial return from Babylon, a substantial portion of the Jewish population remained in the Diaspora, and the nation continued to face ongoing challenges under various foreign rules. This prayer, then, arises from a deep, collective awareness of their scattered, vulnerable, and often oppressed state, a direct consequence of their historical disobedience. It is a profound collective cry for God to reverse the judgment of exile and bring His people back to their land and to a place where they can worship Him freely and purely, as was the ideal in Jerusalem.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully encapsulates several key themes prevalent throughout Psalms 106 and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights Divine Deliverance and Restoration, emphasizing God's sovereign power to rescue His people from oppression and physically and spiritually re-gather them from their dispersed state. This aligns seamlessly with prophetic promises of return from exile found in books like Jeremiah 29:14 and Ezekiel 36:24. Secondly, it underscores Confession and Dependence, as the direct address "O LORD our God" signifies a humble acknowledgment of their unique covenant relationship despite their profound failures, recognizing that only He possesses the ultimate power and authority to deliver them. Finally, and crucially, the verse articulates the Purpose of Salvation: Worship and Praise. Deliverance is not merely for comfort or political autonomy but fundamentally for the glorification of God's name. The ultimate goal is "to give thanks unto thy holy name, [and] to triumph in thy praise," echoing the psalmist's consistent call to praise God's name, as seen in Psalms 115:1.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb (H3467) carries the primary meaning "to be open, wide or free, i.e. (by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or succor." It denotes a powerful, decisive act of intervention by God, often from a position of distress, danger, or oppression. In this context, it refers to both physical deliverance from enemies and dispersion, and spiritual salvation from the consequences of sin. It is a fervent plea for God to act on behalf of His people, not because they deserve it, but because of His inherent character and covenant faithfulness.
This noun (H1471) refers to "a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile." In the context of Israel's history, it specifically denotes the non-Israelite nations among whom God's people were scattered in exile or subjugation. The use of this term highlights their vulnerable, alienated, and often oppressed status, emphasizing the deep longing for a divine act to bring them back into unity, both geographically to their homeland and spiritually as a covenant community.
This verb (H7623), appearing here in the Hithpael stem (a reflexive/reciprocal intensive form), means "to address in a loud tone... to commend, glory, praise." In this specific construction, "to triumph" implies a public, joyful, and exuberant declaration of God's praiseworthy acts and character. It is not merely quiet gratitude but a boastful, public celebration of God's faithfulness and power, a declaration of victory that attributes all glory and honor to Him.
Verse Breakdown
"Save us, O LORD our God"
This opening plea is direct, personal, and urgent. It addresses God by His covenant name, YHwh ("LORD," H3068), and acknowledges Him as "our God" (H430), emphasizing the unique, albeit strained, relationship Israel has with Him despite their chronic failures. It is a cry for rescue, recognizing His exclusive power to deliver them from their dire circumstances, which are, in large part, a result of their own sin and rebellion.
"and gather us from among the heathen"
This clause specifies the nature of the desired deliverance – a physical, communal, and spiritual re-gathering from their dispersed state among foreign nations. The "heathen" (gôwy, H1471) represent the gentile nations where Israel was scattered in exile, highlighting their vulnerable and alienated status. This is a prayer for the reversal of the judgment of dispersion and a return to their covenant homeland and community, echoing the imagery of a shepherd gathering scattered sheep.
"to give thanks unto thy holy name, [and] to triumph in thy praise"
This final clause articulates the ultimate, God-centered purpose of the requested salvation and gathering. Deliverance is not an end in itself, but a means to a greater end: the glorification of God. "To give thanks" (H3034, yâdâh) signifies acknowledging God's unique, set-apart character (H6944, qôdesh) and expressing profound gratitude for His saving acts. "To triumph in thy praise" (H7623, shâbach, and H8416, tᵉhillâh) implies a public, joyous, and victorious celebration of God's praiseworthy deeds and attributes. The restoration of the people is fundamentally for the restoration of proper worship and public testimony to God's greatness.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices that enhance its emotional and theological impact. Apostrophe is prominently evident in the direct address, "O LORD our God," where the psalmist speaks to God directly, invoking His covenant name and relationship. This creates an intimate, urgent, and deeply personal tone, despite being a corporate prayer. There is clear Parallelism in the final clause: "to give thanks unto thy holy name, [and] to triumph in thy praise." These two phrases express a similar core concept – the glorification of God – through slightly different but reinforcing terms, emphasizing the comprehensive and multifaceted nature of the desired worship and public acclamation. The entire verse functions as a Prayer, a specific literary form characterized by direct address to God, petitions for divine intervention, and expressions of desire or dependence. The repeated use of "us" and "our" signifies Corporate Identity and Collective Supplication, reflecting the psalm's broader focus on the shared history, failures, and destiny of the entire nation of Israel.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 106:47 stands as a profound theological statement on God's enduring faithfulness despite human sin, and the ultimate, God-glorifying purpose of His redemptive acts. It underscores the biblical truth that God's salvation is always oriented towards His own glory and the proper worship of His name. The prayer for gathering from the "heathen" connects deeply with the prophetic promises of restoration, revealing God's unwavering commitment to His covenant people even in their dispersion and judgment. It highlights the dynamic interplay between human repentance and divine mercy, demonstrating that even after a long history of rebellion, a humble plea to God's character can invoke His saving power, ultimately leading to renewed praise and thanksgiving. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that all deliverance, whether personal or corporate, should culminate not in self-satisfaction, but in the glorification of the Deliverer.
Reflection and Application
Psalms 106:47 offers a timeless model for prayer and a profound lens through which to view God's redemptive work in our individual lives and in the life of the church. In a personal sense, it teaches us to acknowledge our own spiritual wanderings, our tendencies toward idolatry, and the "heathen" influences of the world that can scatter our hearts and minds away from God. It encourages us to humbly cry out for God's saving grace, trusting that He is able to gather us back to Himself, restoring our fellowship, purpose, and spiritual vitality. Corporately, this verse calls us to pray fervently for the global church, for believers who are persecuted or dispersed, and for those who are spiritually lost, that God would gather them into His fold, bringing unity and strength. Ultimately, it reminds us that the goal of all salvation – from sin's bondage, from distress, from spiritual apathy – is not merely our comfort or convenience, but the profound glorification of God's holy name. Our lives, delivered and restored by His grace, are meant to be a continuous song of thanksgiving and triumph in His praise, reflecting His magnificent glory to a world desperately in need of His saving power.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "heathen" refer to in this verse?
In Psalms 106:47, "heathen" translates the Hebrew word gôwy (H1471), which literally means "nation" or "people." In the Old Testament, particularly in contexts referring to Israel's relationship with other nations, gôwy (plural goyim) often refers to non-Israelite nations, or Gentiles. Here, it specifically denotes the foreign lands and peoples among whom the Israelites were dispersed during their exile or periods of subjugation. It highlights their state of being scattered away from their homeland and their covenant community, often implying oppression, cultural assimilation pressures, or a loss of distinct identity (see Deuteronomy 28:64).
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalms 106:47 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The ancient prayer for God to "Save us" and "gather us from among the heathen" is perfectly answered in the Messiah. Jesus is the ultimate Deliverer, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, offering salvation not just from physical dispersion but from the spiritual bondage of sin and death (Matthew 1:21). Furthermore, Jesus is the great Gatherer. He spoke of gathering His people like a hen gathers her chicks (Matthew 23:37), and the New Testament reveals His mission to gather not only the scattered children of Israel but also "the children of God who are scattered abroad" (John 11:52), bringing both Jews and Gentiles into one new humanity in Him (Ephesians 2:14-16). The purpose of this gathering, just as in the psalm, is precisely "to give thanks unto thy holy name, [and] to triumph in thy praise." Through Christ, believers are redeemed and brought into a unified body, the Church, whose very existence and mission are to glorify God and proclaim His praises (1 Peter 2:9). Thus, the ancient prayer of Israel is fulfilled in the global worship of the Father, through the Son, by the power of the Spirit, as people from every tribe, tongue, and nation are gathered to praise His holy and glorious name.